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Cycle Oregon's $500 deal

Charity bike ride and glamping trip under no obligation offers half the money back, but hopes for charitable donations.

Cycle Oregon will offer a 50 percent refund to customers thwarted by this year's late cancellation. The annual bike ride for charity was cancelled after forest fires made the route impassible through the central Cascades.

On Wednesday Cycle Oregon executive director Steve Schulz wrote to would-be participants who had been waiting a week to hear what would happen their $1,000 plus fee.

Schulz said Cycle Oregon was not obliged to give a refund but was offering $500. The other half of the fee for The Classic was already spent on goods and services for the rolling glamping trip.

To help communities along the route, he wrote, "In lieu of a refund, you can elect to make a gift of $500 to the Cycle Oregon Fund - held at the Oregon Community Foundation - through Cycle Oregon. These funds will go directly back to the rural communities that are dealing with forest fires throughout Oregon."

Those who paid extra for luxury porter services would have those fees refunded 100 percent.

Every registrant will also get early registration for the 2018 event.

"While we're not obligated to refund any funds to our riders, that's not who we are. You trust us to do the right thing. And the right thing is to take care of you and the Oregon communities that have continued to take care of us over the last 30 years."

A Cycle Oregon get together will be held in Portland on Sept. 16, location TBD.